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N uNrrnD sfrArns PATENT 4clarion wrnLni THOMPSON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

lsHrP-vnNrILAToR.

ToY all whom t 'may concern: j

Be it known that I, WILLET THOMPSON, of New I-Iaven in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Ship-Ventilator; and Il. do hereby declare that the following is al full, clear, and exact description of the same,

`reference being had to the annexed draw` ings, making a part of this specification, in which j i.

Figure l, is an external view of my im-, proved ventilator, the' cap being elevated.` Fig. 2, is also an external view of dit-to,` the cap being depressed and secured over the top of the Fig. 3, is a vertical section of the cap, lanch, and tube, thepla-ne of section being through the center. Fig. 4, is an inverted plan, or under View of ditto. Similar letters of reference indicate `cor-f; responding parts in the severaltgures.

To enable others skilled in the art to make 1 and, use my invention, I will proceed to describe fully its construction.

A, FigsQfl, 2, and 3, represents a circular ianch or rim having a bottom plate, B, v which is secured to the deck of a vessel byl screws or bolts. The deck is represented by dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The ianch Or rim projects upward a suitable distance from the deck and surrounds an aperture in the deck. At the center of the lanch or rim, A, there is a tube, C, connected to the flanch or rim by radial arms, (a), see Fig. 3. The tube, C, projects some distance below the lanch, A, and plate, B, butwdoes not project above the upper surfaceoi' the flanch, see`l` Fig. 3. The lower end of the tube, C, is so out as to form two inclined surfaces or planes, (b), (Z9), opposite to each other, and in reverse positions, see shading in Fig. 4f, which will probably give a better idea of the inclines that can be obtained by reference to the other figures. The tube, C, is provided `with slots, (c), (c), directly/'opposite to each other, and extending upward about half the height of the tube.

D, is a cap, provided with a rim, (d), which, when the cap is depressed, fits tightly over the fianch, A, as shown in Fig. 2.

E is a shank which projects downward from the center of the cap and passes through the tube, C, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and (e), is a pin whichpasses transversely through the shank. The shank, E, has a spiral spring, F, around it, the upper end of the spring bearing against the cap,

and the lower end against a shoulder, (f), within the tube,I C, see Fig. 3. j

l/Vhen the pin, (e), is in line with the slots, (c), (c) the spiral spring, F, will keep the cap, D, elevated, the. pin, (e), being at the upper part ofthe slots, as shown clearly in Fig. `l. And the cap will offer no resistance to Obstacles being moved over the deck ofavessel, because the spring, F, will be depressed by the weight of an object upon the cap, and willforce the cap upward again when the weight is removed. Consequently, barrels, casks,I boxes and merchandise ofjall kinds may be rolled or moved over the deck without receiving any impediment from the ventilator. A

When ventilation is not required, the cap is depressed by the hand down upon the Iianch, and the pin, (e), will then be below Q the bottom of the tube, C. By slightly turning the cap, D, the pin will pass underneath the inclines, (b), (b), which draw down the cap' firmly upon the flanch, see Figs. 2 and t. j I am aware that inclines have been previously used for a similar purpose, but combined with other `arrangements, See Warren Robinsons patent, in which the cap is secured by inclines in a raised as well as in a depressed position, requiring to be operated in both cases, by hand; but such an arrangement is very inconvenient and less secure, as the ventilator, when open, admits of no yield, as mine does, and forms too high an obstacle or projection on the face of the deckto allow of casks, boxes, merchandise or other goods being rolled or passed easily over it in loading and discharging cargo or moving goods about or over the deck. Also in passing goods over the ventilator (when open) as constructed and arranged by lVarren Robinson, the ventilator is very liable to injury by strainage of the cap stem or flange hub on account of the cap having no yield, and to close the ventilator, by turning it, each time that goods or any of the heavy ship gear (both during the voyage and when in port) has to be passed 'over it, is very inconvenient. But, by my arrangement the ventilator is protected from strainage, injury or breakage by the yield which the cap posseses, and, in passing a cask or goods over it, it is shut almost the moment the cask touches it by a slight portion of the weight of the Cask being brought to act upon the cap, so that it presents no higher obstacle to the moving ventilator, but'the projection is so small as to be of little account in moving goods over it,the raised caps (D) forms the only material obstacle, and, by the yielding arrangement I propose, it ceases to be anA obstacle. The spring (F) also serves, by its pressure upward of the cap to hold the cap (D) more securely from turning and opening, as it wlill cause the projecting stop or pin (e) to bite tighter against the inclined planes (b) and thereby eifectually restrain the cap from beingv accidentally turned and opened when it isimportant or,

. in a rough sea, necessary, that it should remain closed; but while the action of the spring (F) gives greater security to the lock of the ventilator when closed, it does not materially impede the opening of the ventilator, as upon the slightest movement of the cap, by turning, to open it, the taper of the inclines (b), forming the lock; coinbined with the weakening of the spring as the lock pin (e) begins to move on or over the inclines and the cap (D) slightly to rise, will rend-er the turning of the cap to its proper positionfor the spring to throw up or ope'the ventilator, an easy operation.

Now in this described arrangement, I do not claim anything new in it as a method of Ventilating ships, as such method is old both as applied tothe deck and sides of ships. I am also aware that a movable or rising and lowering cap locked both in its open and closed position by turning it so as to bring pins or project-ions in its stem under and over inclined planes on the flange or stationary boX part has before been employed in deck ventilators, and that suchv isa common mode of fastening down or inaking tight,'when closed, side lights for ships, lamps in their holders alsolamp tops and other lids or covers, and I therefore do not claim as new the cap or lid, tightened, when closed, by projections from it bitingagainst inclined planes beneath. But

I do claim as both new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

In the construction of deck ventilators for ships, the combination and arrangement herein specified of the elevating spring (F) with the cap (D) and its tightening inclines (b) for locking the cap when closed, the whole being constructed and operating as shown and described and whereby the cap of the ventilator is not only made self rising and held open by the spring beneath to insure ventilation while loading and discharging cargo without loss of time or labor in opening and closing the ventilator as goods are passed on or over it and the deck, but whereby greater convenience and facility is aforded for rolling or passingcasks or goods over the ventilator by reason of the specified yield or easy depression which the cap is made capable of when the cask, in touching the cap, throws part of its weight thereon, and whereby the ventilator is rendered less liable to strainage, injury or breakage of its Stem or other part, when open, and is more securely locked, when closed, and the cap protected from accidental turning or opening by'reason of the upward pressure of the spring causing the locking projections of the cap to bite firmly against the stationary inclines as herein set forth.

WILLET THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

O. D. MUNN, JNO. W. HAMILTON. 

